Water managers appeal to Gov. Scott: restore money for water protection

Twenty former governing board members of Florida’s water
management districts are urging Gov. Rick Scott to reverse another round
of pending budget cuts.

In a letter sent to Scott Monday, they
urged the governor to “restore adequate funding’’ for the five regional
agencies responsible for the water supply, flood control and many
environmental protection projects, including Everglades restoration.

The
Florida Legislature this year removed a year-old revenue cap that had
slashed district budgets statewide by 30 percent, a move environmental
groups had hoped would restore some of the lost funding. Instead, water
district governing boards, who are appointed by the governor, have
continued cutting back, rather than holding the line or raising property
tax rates to previous levels.

The South Florida Water Management District, for example, which
just settled a long-running federal lawsuit by agreeing to $880 million
in new projects to reduce the flow of pollution in the Everglades, gave
preliminary approval to a $600 million budget that includes another 2
percent cut in its property tax rate. That follows a $100 million cut
last year. A final budget hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.

The
former board members, including Miami attorney Eric Buermann, who was
the South Florida district’s chairman under former Gov. Charlie Crist,
argued the cuts save property owners a small amount at a large cost for
important programs like Glades restoration, and alternative water supply
projects. A Miami-Dade property owner of a $150,000 home paid $62.40 in
district taxes in 2011. This latest proposed roll-back will reduce that
to $42.89.

The governor’s office did not respond to a call and an
email for comment about the letter, which echoes complaints from
environmental groups. But in announcing final state approval last week
of the Everglades pollution cleanup plan reached with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Scott said the plan was to pay for the
work with existing state and district revenues “without raising or
creating new costs for Floridians.’’